Afghanistan U-18 futsal team in Senegal ahead of Youth Olympic Games

Afghanistan’s national under-18 futsal team arrived in Dakar, Senegal, over the weekend to prepare for the upcoming Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, where they will face Panama, Argentina and hosts Senegal in the group stage.

The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) announced that the squad would undertake a six-day training camp in Senegal ahead of the competition, with support from the federation.

Coached by Behrouz Jafari, the Afghan side have been preparing for the tournament in Kabul and Tehran since October 5, in order to arrive in Senegal ready for the international challenge.

According to the announced schedule, the futsal competition will run from November 1 to 12, with Afghanistan facing a demanding group featuring two international opponents and the home side.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place from October 31 to November 13 across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

The event marks the first time an Olympic competition has been hosted on African soil and is expected to bring together approximately 2,700 athletes from more than 200 National Olympic Committees.

The Games will feature a wide range of sports, including athletics, swimming, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, cycling, wrestling and futsal, celebrating young sporting talent and promoting international friendship and cultural exchange.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has secured the exclusive television and digital media rights to broadcast the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games across Afghanistan, bringing the international sporting event to audiences nationwide.

The coverage forms part of ATN’s ongoing commitment to delivering world-class sporting events to Afghan viewers and connecting young people with international competition.

Afghanistan’s participation in the futsal tournament will give audiences an opportunity to follow the country’s young athletes as they represent Afghanistan on the Olympic stage.